The Prince and the Prisoner
by drawingwind
Summary: Sasuke is the duke's brother, and nothing could go wrong in his boring and predictable life... that is, until a convicted murderer decides to shake things up a bit! NaruxSasuxNaru LaterLemons
1. Anticipation

Hello there! I must apologize for my belatedness in all my other stories. I'm still waiting for my computer to be fixed (damn geek squad is as slow as snail) So I decided to post this up. If you've read my other stuff, you know not to expect any quick updates, but having said that, I hope you'll read anyway.

**Warnings**: Rated M for safety (juicy lemons are on the horizon!)- and just to clarify- this is a **YAOI** fanfiction, which means there is **BoyxonxBoy** action! Turn back, if you don't like it, before it's too late! Also, this is **UN-BETAED**! I'm not a grammar machine, okay? Forgive the mistakes...

**Disclaimers**: I don't own Naruto or The Perfect Princess

**Note: **NNNNNNNNNNNNN- means Naruto's side of life and SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS- means Sasuke's side. Ok? Ok.

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The Prince and the Prisoner

Chapter 1

Anticipation

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"Ugh!" A half-grunt-half-gasp issued from clenched lips, when a trickle of blood made its way between his fingers that were pressed against his chest. Despite his predicament, a boiling rage bubbled forth like the blood from his wound.

How could they do that to Ino?! It was _unforgivable_! "KUSO!" The blonde tried to get up but there was no strength in his legs.

"In-oo," he tried to call out her name, but even his voice was starting to become weak. Black spots erupted before his eyes, even as everything else was blurry and indistinguishable. The murderer had probably left in a hurry after he got there. What a foul trick to hide behind someone and slice a knife through his chest, when he wasn't looking.

Shaking his head a little, he needed to get to Ino. With the last bit of energy he had, the man dropped himself on his stomach, making his wound tear more and fresh blood spill, but the blonde ignored the agony and crawled towards the large thing in the middle of the room that he thought was the bed. He remembered seeing her strewn across it when he first walked in only moments before- thinking her to be asleep.

"Ino," he said a bit more firmly as he flung an arm up onto the bed to haul himself over the side. Maybe his reluctance to relent to the pain is what made his vision clear, but suddenly he could see as well as he ever had before.

Her face was turned away and her strewn yellow hair elegantly rested against the pillows- the very picture of slumber- but as Naruto leaned over her body to see her face, he found her jaw slack and open grey eyes were lifeless and dull. The sight contested to what he had feared. Ino was dead.

A sob caught in his throat, and it stayed lodged there as fatigue quickly got the better of him again. The blood was spilling freely by now; he could feel his entire shirt-front was wet with it and stuck to his skin. With vision starting to flicker, he could see one second and couldn't the next. Knowing he had to do something quick before he'd be dead too.

Remembering his gun that had been slapped from his hand, he fell to the floor again trying to find it. His eyes weren't reliable anymore so he weakly moved his hands across the rug to try and feel for it. By the time cold steel reached his fingertips, his breathing was labored and wheezy. He pulled his upper body up with his arms, one hand still firmly curled around his pistol, so that he could lean his back against the wall.

Looking up he could faintly see the dark rectangle in the wall that was the window. Taking aim as best he could in his condition, he pulled the trigger and faintly heard the window shatter. His hearing was failing him too it now seemed, because all sound was muffled. The muted clamor of footsteps coming up the stairs finally reached him, and darkness began to fully settle over his senses.

Before fully blacking out, he hoped it wasn't the killer coming back to finish the job.

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"HAHUUF," yawned the dark-haired man. When were these insipient little girls going to leave him alone? He just about had enough of their antics. The girls flanking him on either side kept brushing their arms against his, another one was batting her eyelashes at him stupidly, and yet another was blowing kisses to him even though they were sitting at the same table. Their idle chatter was enough to bore him to sleep. Even when he tried to say something in return (which wasn't often), they were too busy fanning themselves in excitement than to listen to what he actually said.

Being a duke's brother entailed his growing requirement in attending these functions, nevertheless that didn't stop him from despising it all. No one cared about who he really was, all they cared about was his name and his looks. Girls melted beneath his gaze, but hell, did he ask them too!? NO!

Where ever he went, he was either flocked by chaperones, girls, or what he liked to call FF's- _Fake Friends_. They were other young men who wanted to get close to him for the _other _FF's-_Financial Favors. _All the fake sentiments swimming around him, was more than enough to make him have the withdrawn and seemingly arrogant persona he had.

Realizing he had suddenly stooped to brooding, he shook off his depression to notice what was going on around him. Lunch had finished a few minutes earlier and he no longer had the excuse of food to ignore the women around him. Although he knew that for the sake of appearances he needed to be at the party, the duke's brother excused himself from the table anyways. Unable to tolerate any other introductions that would most likely be thrown his way, he determinedly made his way from the current annoyance of his life. The lapels of his black coat swished in the light breeze as he walked away from the outdoor gathering and sauntered towards the gardens flanking the back of the mansion. A brisk walk was in order to clear his irritated thoughts.

Winding through the maze of bushes, he walked around a grand fountain that hand a dolphin spouting water from its mouth. Pausing with hands in his pockets, he watched sparrows perch on dolphin's head almost in turn, like it was some sort of a game. How nice it would be to be a simple bird. Free of expectations and decorum. Free of forced cordiallity and friendship. One could simply spread his wings and fly away. Fly away from the boring scheme of things.

In the end, he would be married to a well off girl, unhappily matched together and forced to produce an heir. After several attempts with his former wife, it was known by all but never mentioned by anyone that his brother was unfortunately impotent. Therefore the task of creating the next in line to the Uchiha dukedom fell to the younger brother.

He sighed, realizing he was again lost in these forlorn thoughts. He needed something to distract him. As if by some greater being, his wish was granted when the call of his name was heard from somewhere in the distance.

"Sasuke-sama!" Came the raucous voice of his best friend. He watched as the pale-haired man jogged towards him in a deep purple tunic with charcoal colored slacks and black riding boots.

As he neared, Sasuke's brow lifted from its former wrinkling to a lighter expression, "Suigetsu! Excellent timing. I needed a distraction."

"Ha, seems that's all I'm bloody good for, ne?" His eyes twinkled with mirth.

"Ah, come now. You know that's not true," Sasuke clapped him on the shoulder and they stepped together to walk around the garden together.

"I thought I might find you here when I didn't see you surrounded by all the ladies," Suigetsu was always incredulous that his friend never took the blatant opportunities the women were giving him in flocks, "Why don't you pick one and have a nice romp, huh?"

Sasuke scowled and kicked an abnormally large pebble away from his boot. Suigetsu shook his head, "I can't believe you. I'd be in heaven if I were in your shoes! Plus you look like you need a good lay. When was the last time?" The toothy grin he gave Sasuke was infuriating sometimes, "Oh yes, you haven't yet have you?"

"Shut your trap, Sui. You know I haven't!"

"I don't know what's stopping you! I mean, hell, I'm surprised you haven't been jumped and raped by one of them yet!"

"Ugh," Sasuke sneered in contempt, "They disgust me."

"Well, what _would _you like them to do? How can you be seduced, oh Un-seduced One," the pale haired man chuckled in fascination.

Sasuke shrugged a little in embarrasment. His own lack of libido was starting to concern him, "I don't know, Suigetsu."

"Maybe we should disguise you and take you to the tavern? Have a good romp with one of the wenches. What do you say?"

It seemed less than tempting to Sasuke, "I think I'll pass, old friend." Suigetsu gave a shrug, admitting defeat, but his raging smirk fortold that, although Sasuke may be a prude if he wished to be, he wasn't going to sit around and abstain with him. The raven always marvelled at Suigetsu's antics. He was always craving attention, and the center of a party- frankly the duke's brother was surprised he wasn't at the lunch party now, trying to get under a skirt or two.

A few minutes of silence passed as they rounded the fountain again, when Suigetsu gasped, "Oh yeah! There was a reason why I wanted to see you, and I just remembered it." Sasuke nodded taking a seat at the fountain's ledge. Suigetsu plopped down as well and turned to the raven in excitement.

"You heard about the execution taking place the day after tomorrow?"

Furrowing his brow in an attempt at remembering the newspaper he read this morning, he replied, "Not that I'm aware of."

"Come now, it's been the talk of the town. That Uzumaki fellow who murdered the Inn girl?" The story clicked in his mind finally.

"Ah yes, the man who used to be a government agent, am I right?"

"Uhuh. He says he's innocent. Believes he's been framed, and personally I believe him," Suigetsu claimed crossing his arms stubbornly.

"How can you be so sure? I mean, yes, he was wounded, but it was a shallow wound and they found the crime weapon discarded, outside the Inn the crime was commited in. He could have cut himself and disposed of it before people came to look for him, and make it look like he was framed."

Suigetsu nodded in agreement but then shook his head to get to his own point, "But the guy was a government official. He was trustworthy in the service and never had a blemish on his record. Why would he kill some girl out of the blue? I even heard he was crying when they found him and the dead girl.," he paused and then started in again more forcefully, "And anyways, if you had just commited murder would you stick around the body? It just doesn't make sense."

Sasuke considered this and nodded absently. It would seem unlikely that the murderer would stay.

"Well, what I wanted to say is that the poor fellow is waiting his death in a putrid cell on Konoha Hill. I wanted to go and give my support and tell him I think he's innocent. I mean the poor bastard's friends all abandoned him, calling him a murderer and won't even visit him. I thought we could go and give him some food and wine before... before..."

"Before he's hanged," Sasuke finished the sentence. _Well, at least I won't be at this party_, Sasuke thought and then it was decided.

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Said murderer was presently sitting in that putrid cell on Konoha Hill, rapping his fingers against the stone floor beneath him. His heart rate hadn't decreased since the night before. His eyes searched the darkness every few minutes before he lowered his eyes to the floor where his fingers were tapping.

Unless you looked very closely, you wouldn't be able to tell that the blonde was rocking back and forth slightly, trying to ebb his anxiousness. Yes, if you were a fair distance away you would think he was just nonchalantly sitting on the damp and moldy stones, waiting for his inevitable end. But then again why would somebody with death breathing on his back look so calm?

Unless, again, you looked very closely and found that he was far from calm. On the other side of the world from it actually. And if you looked at him just right, you'd think he was waiting for something. Waiting.

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Haha, you must understand I'm a sucker for cliffhangers. So sorry for you. If I was in your shoes I'd be cursing too!

Reviews are the fruits of my labor! Please don't let my hardwork go to waste!

~drawingwind


	2. Escape

Hey there! Don't be so surprised that I updated so fast! I already had this written, and I felt like posting it. The real test begins after posting this chapter, since I don't have any more written as of right now ^-^ please be patient! You never know, I may have it done by next week! Or maybe not!

**Warnings**: This is a **YAOI **story so there will be **boyxonxboy **action. If you don't like it, then go to some other destination on the world wide web! Also, this is** un-betaed**... forgive the mistakes!

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Naruto or The Perfect Princess

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The Prince and the Prisoner

Chapter 2

_Escape_

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The duke's brother and his friend rode in silence. Their horses not slowing until the dismal hill came into view. Pulling on the reins a bit, Sasuke was beginning to regret his choice in coming. It would most likely be quite depressing going into such a place and the raven was already close enough to that emotion every day than he would like to be. Plus, if Itachi knew where he was going, he'd have his head.

"Sui," Sasuke's voice came out a bit hesitant. His friend had slowed down also ahead of him a little, and he looked back to see what the raven had to say, "Ah, maybe I sho-" before he could protest, Suigetsu rode up to him and grabbed his horses reins to lead his horse.

"Don't be such a pussy, Sasuke."

"I'm not, you wanker. It's just if Itachi finds out about this and that I wasn't with a chaperone, he's going to skin me alive."

"What will come will come," his friend said in an ambiguous voice.

"Easy for you to say, he's not _your _fucking brother." Suigetsu snickered but prowled on towards the gates at the bottom of the hill. The wrought iron fence loomed above him, and he peered across it and atop the hill sat the most miserable building he'd ever seen. A dark gray and mottled putrid green structure that almost looked like it was leaning to the left a bit stared back at him.

"Suigetsu, maybe I should have worn a cloak? Do you think anybody would recognize me?"

Looking back he said with a sly smile, "Don't worry the place is loaded with guards. Anyways, the gatekeeper already knows we're coming and who we are, so he made extra arrangements."

Sasuke rolled his eyes, he knew Suigetsu used his title to get some things sometimes, but it's not like he blamed him. They've been best friends since they were infants, he knew he could trust his pale-haired companion.

"Figures you got in only because of me," Sasuke said with a knowing look, "What would you have done if I had said no in coming?" Sui just grinned more and faced the gate again. A tall man came from a little stall to the right of the gate and then stood before the entrance.

Suigetsu stopped his horse, effectively stopping Sasuke's as well. The tall man had an elongated piece of wood between his teeth and a handkerchief tied around his head. Sasuke noticed he also held a roll of parchment in his fist.

"Names," he droned in a nasily voice.

"Suigetsu Hozuki and Uchiha Sasuke," Sui said. As soon as Sasuke's voice had dropped from his friend's lips, the guard straightened up and looked much more cooperative.

"Wakarimashite. You may go through," He said and he looked up towards the stoned wall and raised his hand. Sasuke looked up to see several men up there. They were the ones that probably opened and closed the gates. This place was like some medieval fortress, which was a thought that was less than pleasant for the raven.

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The blonde could no longer sit still. Things should be falling into place any time now, so he couldn't keep his nerves from settling. It wasn't everyday you were pegged a murderer and then executed- guess Naruto's just lucky like that.

Pacing across his three foot by four foot cell (which is not much to pace on) he breathed in ragged gasps. His knife wound was a firey pain in his chest, but he would be damned if it let him weaken any further. Standing a walking around might not be the best idea, but blondes tended to be stubborn.

Although his body was in motion, his eyes were ever glued to the cell's door, awaiting a tall figure and tuft of silver hair.

It was hard to tell what time it was since he couldn't see the sun, and therefore he didn't know whether he'd been pacing for minutes or for hours. Perhaps more time had passed than he thought and therefore his plan hadn't worked, or maybe it was already the day of the execution!

No. He shook his head to rid himself of such desperate thoughts. A desperate mind made for desperate actions. Taking a few deep breaths to calm himself, he concentrated on his aches and pains, making note of how he felt so he could avoid causing himself more unnecessary pain when it was time for his plot to unfold.

In the middle of his musings, there was a scrabbling of keys in his door's lock. _Finally! _

As he had imagined, a head full of silver popped out along with a face adorned with a mask. "Not much time, Naruto." Being a no-nonsense kind of guy in his professional career could come in handy sometimes, so he immediately followed his camrade through the door and down the hallway- no hello's or how-are-you's needed.

They calmly walked, so as not to draw attention to themselves, towards a door at the end of the corridor.

"It's a good thing your beard grew out, now not many people will recognize you," the silver-haired man whispered absently. "Get in through that door quickly," Naruto's friend flicked his head at the door nearing them, "there will be extra turn-key's uniforms in there that you can change into. Be quick about it."

Naruto nodded and swiftly entered the closet-like room, shutting it behind him. His partner, known only by few as Kakashi, stood outside. He leaned against the wall to look like he was watching and guarding the cells when he was actually guarding his long-time friend and camrade-at-arms, Uzumaki.

In no time at all, the blonde had emerged from the room, only this time his clothes had been replaced with the cheap green velvet of the turnkey's livery. Kakashi was also wearing this uniform, and Naruto couldn't, for the life of him, figure out how he'd gotten his uniform to get into the prison in the first place. But this wasn't the time nor the place to ask such things. He just needed to get out. It was his one and only shot to escape Konoha Hill Prison!

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They were directed into a large courtyard that was covered with white gravel. The sun beat down on the stones which made the white even brighter to the eyes. Sasuke sheilded his vision for a few seconds before he got used to the sharp color.

The gatekeeper was their personal guide, and rumor had it the gatekeeper rarely ever left his office. Perhaps a duke's brother visiting a prison was not a common day occurence? His inner sarcastic dialogue made for a stress reliever, when Sasuke was desperately trying not to think about how Itachi was going to take that his little visit to Suigetsu's home had suddenly morphed into visiting a murder convict.

"Here is our prison's courtyard, where our less pesky inmates can roam for an hour or two after lunch time. As you can see there are none out at the moment just as an extra precaution for your Excellency," The gatekeeper half-bowed again for the tenth time. His flattery was wearing quite thin by this point, and Sasuke only gave a stiff nod in response. He looked over at Suigetsu who had a sour look on his face, but smiled when he saw Sasuke looking at him.

They weaved around many turnkeys who were dallying about, talking to each other and such. "Don't mind the turnkeys, gentlemen, it's also their break time," said the gatekeeper.

"When are we going to Uzumaki's cell?" Suigetsu asked impatiently. Sasuke could tell that the gatekeeper was not pleased with his friend, but out of respect of the duke's brother he responded with courtesy (albeit his tone was a tad snarky).

"We will _not _be visiting his cell, _good _sir_-_ he will be brought out here by a few guards to be witness to your," he paused here to look up smilingly at Sasuke, "_gracious _hospitality."

Suigetsu snorted lightly, which did not go unnoticed by the turnkey, but he just promptly turned around to lead them to a few chairs at the far end of the courtyard where the duke's brother could "sit and rest" as were the words that came from the insufferable gatekeeper.

Sasuke sat and watched the turnkeys shuffle around and make a light raucous between each other. Their manly gestures filled the expanse and provided a somewhat interesting distraction as they waited for the convict to be brought to them. A door opened up across the yard, and Sasuke's eyes automatically looked to see if it was that Man, Uzumaki, but it was just two more turnkeys meandering in. For some reason though, Sasuke's eyes lingered in their direction longer than he intended.

They looked like the others, dirty and head-to-toe in green velvet coats, but their position was a bit detatched from the rest and the man with blonde hair looked positively grim. His face was set into a determined and menacing look, which made Sasuke think he was not as he seemed. Why would a turnkey, a fairly simple occupation, hold such controlled animosity in his features. His face looked... dangerous, and Sasuke shivered despite the heat of the sun's rays on his shoulders.

As if the blonde man could feel it when someone was watching him, he turned his gaze to Sasuke and narrowed his eyes. Of course, Sasuke knew most people would recognize him, but this man wasn't looking at him in awe or distaste but as if he had just been confronted with a problem?

Suddenly a guard from a different door burst through and shouted to no one in particular but at the same time at everyone present, "Escaped! Uzumaki's escaped!" Once the first word had been uttered, everyone in the courtyard started to yell and tried to order somebody else to do something, but it seemed as if nobody knew what to do!

At that moment, still looking at the blonde man, something inside Sasuke told him that it was no coincidence that the man's shirtfront showed signs of blood starting to seep through, and that the convict he was supposed to be meeting had been wounded in the chest before he was arrested. A bullet shot rang through the yard and everyone froze, Sasuke shut his eyes tightly and covered his face with his arms out of instinct, but didn't feel anything happen to him.

The commotion had doubled as people had started to panic, and Sasuke looked to his right for Suigetsu, who was laying on the ground. A sinking feeling reached Sasuke as he dropped on his knees next to his friend, "Sui! Are you alright? Have you been shot?"

"Bloody hell!" his friend shouted and turned to the raven with a furrowed brow "Ah, no, I was just startled. Who the hell fired a pistol?" Sasuke shook his head as he struggled to get his friend to sit up, but he was suddenly yanked from behind to stand up. With no warning, his feet couldn't support him at first, and whoever it was who had pulled him was now holding him against them, and something cold and hard touched his temple... another _gun!?_

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Thanks fer readin'! Please let me know how you think this is going so far. Reviews also feed my muse... Don't let her starve!!!!

~drawingwind


	3. Author's Note Poll

**Author's Note**

I am still alive my readers, even though it may seem I have been wiped off the map. I have come to a conclusion that I will not be finishing all of my fics. Of the stories I will finish for sure are:

Taking It Easy

and

I'll Dance For You

I will finish these two stories because they are near their ends. But for the rest of the fics, it will be up to my readers to choose two of the remaining stories they would like me to finish. I will pick from the stories who got the most votes and then send a new note with the results. So, once you've recieved this note, please go to place a REVIEW and list your two favorites from this list of stories:

**1. Inside the Harem**- Naruto, a homeless boy stuck in an unfair world, gets entangled with a noble family known for its harem. What will Naruto do in order to keep his dignity, his pride, and his sanity? SasuNaru Later Lemons

**2. Light My Fire**- Naruto is a fireman who goes into save a boy still trapped in a burning building, but what he doesn't know is that he is about to save the hot Sasuke Uchiha. And boy does the Uchiha take a liking to our favorite blonde! NaruSasuNaru LaterLemons Rated M

3**. My Past to Your Future**- It is the year 1954, and Uchiha Sasuke is the jock with the perfect life. It is also the year 2008, and Uzumaki Naruto is the punk with the broken life. When past and present meet, Sasuke finds his life wasn't so perfect and Naruto's is starting to heal

**4. The Prince and the Prisoner**- Sasuke is the duke's brother, and nothing could go wrong in his boring and predictable life... that is, until a convicted murderer decides to shake things up a bit! NaruxSasuxNaru LaterLemons

Thanks,  
drawingwind


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